I took a wrong turn down a dead-end street and fell into another bar
I shook off the rain, pulled up a seat and drowned my weary heart
An old man sat down next to me with years etched on his face
He said "You better take it easy son, or you'll never leave this place"
I laughed and bought another drink, and a double for him too
I told him all my struggles and the hell I'm going through
The broken dreams, the things I've seen, and the people I've let down
He raised a glass and half a smile and bought another round

And he said "Don't tell me, 'cause you know I wrote the book"
"And trouble's been my shadow for so long"
"But the words I wrote, they won't do you any good"
"You gotta live your life before you're dead and gone"

We laughed and cried for hours as we drank away the night
He spoke of sins and celebrations, the stories of his life
"Son, you think you've got it tough, as bad as it can get"
"But I've seen my share of ups and downs and you ain't seen nothing yet"
"You ain't seen nothing yet"

"So don't tell me, 'cause you know I wrote the book"
"And trouble's been my shadow for so long"
"But the words I wrote, they won't do you any good"
"You gotta live your life before you're dead and gone"

The lights go up
We've had too much and everyone's gone home
But let's have one more for the good times
And one more for the road, one more for the road

"Don't tell me, 'cause you know I wrote the book"
"And trouble's been my shadow for so long"
"But the words I wrote, they won't do you any good"
"You gotta live your life before you're dead and gone"
"You gotta live your life before you're dead and gone"